North Korean Southward Invasion War Game: Call of Duty New Release Stirs Controversy

[News Hunters]

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■ Broadcast: SBS <News Hunters> Mon-Fri (18:50-19:50)
■ Anchors: Kim Jong-won, Yoon Tae-jin
■ Guests: Choi Seunghun (SBS Economics Department Reporter), Cho Han-bum (Senior Research Fellow, Korea Institute for National Unification) --------------------------------------------

There is a game currently at the center of controversy. It is the war game "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4," released on October 23. Set on the Korean Peninsula, the storyline involves a surprise southward invasion by North Korean forces plunging the region into war. However, a debate is surrounding this game. While concerns have been raised, such as "turning war trauma into entertainment" and "heightening hostility toward North Korea," counterarguments are also emerging, defending it as "gaming imagination and creative freedom." Some have even claimed it is "U.S. psychological warfare." Aside from these controversies, the use of scenes from the Itaewon crowd crush in the game has also drawn backlash, with fierce criticism that using a tragedy as entertainment has crossed the line. The controversial "Call of Duty" was played firsthand by the two anchors.

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